Curtain-stretching frame.



W. P. HOUGH.

CURTAIN STRETCHING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1914.

1 l 5 1 ,594. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

INVENTOR WITNESSES wQEA/JWJMT 22 wALLAcJn r. nouemorrirrssonen, rnnnsirnvnnra.

, cUnr'nIN-smnrcrrme Fam TocZZ whommitmay concern: 4

Be it iknownth-at I, WVALLAGE RHooori, a citizen :of thefUnited States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful ImprovementsinCurmin-Stretching Frames, of which improve- J side members thereof are each formed 'of' i for the se'ctions 'ofveach' of said *membersi ments the followingis a specification.

inventionhas for its objects, to provide a curtain stretching frame, of the knock-down type, wherein the longitudinal sections adapted to be connected :or disconnected tolerrgth enor shorten the frame for" convenience and economy of space to suit the lengths of curtains, with a connection whereby they may be rigidlyand securely locked to one another, disconnected or folded upon one another to save space when not in use. i

' \Vith the above objects in view, the inven+ tion consists in certain features of construe 5 tion, in "certain parts and combination of parts,'-as-will be hereinafter more specifically set forth in this specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I p In descrlbingthe invention in detail, reference is had "to the accompanying draw ings, forming a of thls specification,

whereinlike detail parts are designated by like numerals forconvenience in referring to said parts, said drawings representing the following views: 1 I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the frame, as it would appear when set up for service. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevationtliereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of one ofthesid'e members of the frame,showing my improved connection for the sections thereof. Fig. 45s a planjof the same. Fig. 5 is an end elevation thereof, in section. Fig. 6 is a plan of the portion of one of the side members, as it would appear when its sections are folded. ,Fig. ,7 is an enlarged end elevation of a portion of the frame, and supporting leg, showing my improved connection therefor to limit the ad justment of and lock the'leg in extended position. Fig. 8 is a plan view thereof, partly in section. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a portion of the frame, showing the leg folded thereupon. I

In said drawings, I have shown the frame proper, as comprising the two like side Application sled April 17, 1914. serial no. 832,413.

f9 being provided on said bolt.

Specification of Letters Patent Pate t-.561 A g, 31, 191;;

members 1 and 1', each formed of two sec= tions; the two like end members 2 and 2, each havingia leg 3 pivotally attached thereto at its upper end by .a screw 4, saidend members being laterallyadjustable along and held in adjusted posit-ionito the side clamp 6 on the lower end of-each ..j There .is also la vertically disposed bar '7 secured "to i the upper side member by screw 7' and securedat its lower end to the lowersid'e memher by a bolt 8 passing therethrough and through the slot 8' in saidkbar, :a thumb-nut The side, and lilrewise the end members of the frame, each have the usual pins lflanranged along their inner edges to secure the curtain thereto.

My improvedxconnection for the two secmembers, byra fixed clamp 5v at the upper end ofeach, and by a vertically adjustable tions constituting each side member, land 1;,

comprises a plate 11, preferably of L shape in cross-section, and preferably extending through the slots 12 in the'meeting ends of the sections, said plate being fixedly attached atone end to one ofthe sections by screws 13 and 14. Thisplate has a recess 15 formed in the extreme end of-th'e portion thereof which: projects to the other movable section, and in the body portion thereof a diagonally disposed opening 16, preferably radial in form, there being also a recess 17 formed in the ectge of the free p ortion'of said plate. The movable section ofthe side memberto be attached to the plate fixed to the other seea tion, has openings formed therethrough registrable; with recess 15 ripening 1601:

the plate, through which ens-ta tle 18 and 1 19, provided with thumb ants-2o and 21, respeetive1y." i

In pract1ce,when the side members, 1 and 1, iti jfiiplijyd real-eastern "thumb "20 and 21, of the bolts 18 and 19, are screwed down tightly, thus holding the sections rigidly to one another. When the frame is taken down to be storedaway, the thumb nuts 20 and 21 are loosened up, the then loose or movable section of the side member, is slightly adjusted, in the direction of its length, so asto cause the bolt 18 topass out of the recess 15 of the plate, after which op gated opening 16 in the plate permitting eration the said section is turned about the I such turning of the member about the bolt 19, and when so folded the recess 17 forms a clearance space about the bolt 18. When the frame is to beset up for the drying of short curtains, the bolt 18 is removed, and the section to which it was applied detached.

My improved folding brace for and to limit the adjustment of and lock the leg in extended position, comprises a plate 22 hav-V ing downwardly extended flanges 23 and 23 formed thereon, 'whichflanges also project forwardly to and pass each side of' the end member of the frame towhich the leg ispivotally attached and are pivotally attached tosaid member by screws 24 and 2 5. The side flange23of said plate, has an elongated opening or slot 26 formed therethrough, terminating at itsfarend in ashoulder 26, making said slotsomewhat the shapeof the letter L, throughwhich slot passes apivoting screw27 fixed to the leg.

In practice, when the leg is extended, the pivoting screw 27 operating in the slot 26 limits the extension of said leg, and when the plate 22 is slightly depressed at its rear end 7 said screw is caused to enter the shouldered portion 26,'thus locking said leg in its extended position and preventing possible closure of the leg and consequent overthrowing of the frame rearwardly, and as the plate 22 extends entirely across'the rear of the end member 2 it forms a rigid connection and prevents accidental overthrow of the 7 frame longitudinally- To fold the leg'flush with the end member 2, the brace plate 22 is slightly elevated at its rear, thus disengaging the shouldered ortion oftlie slot" with the pivotal screw 2 after which said leg 7 may be readily folded flush with the member 2, and causing the body'of the, plate to engageflush with the rear surfaceiof said member, asshown Fig. 9. I Having thus shown and described my inovention, what I claim and desire to'secure by 1 Letters Patent, is: 1 g

' 1.. Ina curtain stretching" frame, side members therefor, each formed of sections connected one to the'other'at their abutting endsby a plate of L shape in cross-section fixed to and projecting beyond the-end of Copies of this patent may obtained torposed.

one section and to whi ch the other section is movably connected, the projecting portion of said plate having an elongated diagonally-disposed opening formed there- "through and also having a recess formed in it's extreme end, and bolts provided with tightened up, to rigidly secure the movable section to said plate,'and when loosened, to permit-said movablesection to be adjusted longitudinally on'said plate disengaging the one bolt at-the recessed portion thereof and turned about on the other bolt to a folded position upon the other section, said sections being each slitted longitudinally at their abutting ends wherein the said plate is .di s- '2. In a: curtain stretching frame, side members therefor, each formed of sections connected one to the other at their abutting ends by a plate of L shape in cross-section fixed to and projecting beyond the .end of onesection and to which the other section is movably' connected, the projecting portion of said plate having an elongated diagonally disposed opening through and also having a recess formed in its extreme end,v and bolts provided with thumb nuts carried by the movable section,

formed thereone of said bolts passing through the opens ing in said plate and the otherthrough the recess in the end thereof, adapted, when tightened up, to rigidly secureuthe movable section to said plate, and when loosened, to

permit said movable section to be adjusted position upon the other. section, r

longitudinally on said plate disengaging the one bolt at the Irecessed portion-thereof and turned about on the other bolt'to'a folded 'In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

WALLACE P. iouen.

Witnesses: s

R. SHARRIsON, V CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, washingtomnflflu V 1' I i 

